Kristi Kates | Author

Delighted about dill? Thrilled with thyme? Crazy for coriander? So is Julie Krist, the cofounder of Herbal Renewal, a Leelanau County organization of women who are interested in growing and using herbs.

The lineup for this year’s Common Ground Music Festival in Lansing (July 5–8) just keeps expanding with a diverse lineup of pop, rock, country, and hip-hop artists, including Judah and the Lion, T-Pain, Gucci Mane, Kip...
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Now in his early 70s, John Prine — the singer-songwriter famous for blending country, folk, and comedy with social and political commentary — is a legend around the nation. But in Traverse City in particular, he’s got four big fans — so big, in fact, they’ve ...
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Galloping through its trademark hoedown-sound with a wealth of stringed instruments, country-fried vocals, and energetic percussion, the Medicine Show, with Dave Cobb on board for production duties, is in a rowdy mood on this set. The too-short “Shout Mountain Music” holds fas...
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Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale are releasing two new books about Devo the band that will showcase the band’s growth over the years. The two volumes, titled "Devo: The Brand" and "Devo: Unmasked," will hit stores on July 13 (they&rs...
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There’s something decidedly Dirty Dancing about the Dam Site Inn. It’s a fact that co-owner Pam East, who runs the restaurant with her husband, Ray, states with obvious pride. Nestled between Douglas Lake and Burt Lake, the destination restaurant offers a unique ambia...
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Many origin stories of famous musicians start with how they escaped their small-town roots to head for the big city, where they finally got the breaks they needed to become The Next Big Thing. Northern Michigan musicians aren’t exempt from this trope. While our region is often thoug...
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Various Artists – Dancehall Dreamin’: A Tribute to Pat Green – Greenhouse Records Following Pat Green along the ol’ dirt road are a plethora of his fans — who also happen to be his musical peers — and they’ve co...
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Step right up and get your tickets (on sale now at $99 for the whole weekend, or $75 for one day) for this year’s Mo Pop Festival, arguably the most commercial pop-rock fest in Michigan, at which you’ll find a huge slate of your favorite radio-friendly acts. T...
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Filmmaker and Kingsley native Jeffrey Morgan has been passionate about social welfare since he was a child; he grew up in a large family that spent much of its time and energy caring for kids who had nowhere else to go.

The Sword’s latest — its sixth — is a bizarre juxtaposition of futuristic art rock and ’70s hippie-rock, with both genres not quite able to communicate with the other. While tracks like “Intermezzo” and “Nocturne” show a glimpse of intriguin...
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GQ (Gentleman’s Quarterly), The Financial Times, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal. What do they all have in common? They’ve all recently championed the resurgence in popularity of bespoke and made-to-measure suits for men — those high-end ensembles tradition...
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MEET THE BAND Self-described “laid-back Midwestern dudes” ThE DroogS began when drummer Jeff Houser arrived in Traverse City from Los Angeles. Upon arriving, “I immediately posted that I was looking to start a fun Ramones/Core-style band,” Ho...
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Lollapalooza, one of the biggest (and oldest) U.S. music festivals, is getting all prepped for its 2018 edition, which will be happening August 2–5 in Chicago’s Grant Park. This summer’s headliners have already been named, and will feature The We...
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Grand Traverse flower fans know Derek Woodruff well. His Traverse City business, Floral Underground, is well-known for its gorgeous floral arrangements, and for Woodruff’s propensity to settle for nothing less than the best.

The 13-track follow-up to its 2017 Milano teaming with Karen O and Daniele Luppi, Parquet Courts’ latest brings in yet another collaborator, this time in the form of the legendary Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton). First single “Almost Had to Start a Fight/In and Out of Patience...
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Full of all the profundity and emotion that fans regularly anticipate from PBTT, this latest album continues along the same conduit the band has been following for a while — that of refining its sound. On this set, the move is best expressed through audio choices on t...
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